Style

Back-to-school shopping always sneaks up on us just as we’re enjoying the full swing of summer, doesn’t it? No worries – in typical Smarty fashion, we’ve scoured the web and the QC for some of the coolest finds so your little bookworm will be decked out. FYI, don’t be surprised if every single item has gone up anywhere from $1 to $14 from last year’s model, even the same patterns. So annoying, but what can we do?!

Shop savvy with NC Tax Free weekend starting at 12:01 (yes, am) on Friday!…

As July winds down, school shopping begins. More and more schools are going the uniform route and as a parent in a uniform school, I LOVE IT! Uniforms are easy, make my mornings manageable and are easy on the budget. Below is our list of go to places to find uniforms. For non-retail shopping, many schools have resale closets or uniform exchange days where you can go purchase or exchange for gently used uniforms. This is a great starting point and money saver. You can also connect with a family with older children that would be willing to pass on their uniforms as they outgrow them.

Exciting news for Charlotte moms and moms-to-be! Many of you might be missing the Southpark baby/kids boutique, Nesting, as it sadly closed it’s doors recently. However…the concept that was born here in North Carolina has had a “re-birth” online, thanks to former shop manager and designer, Susan Hutchinson!

I LOVE events like these and I can’t tell you how excited I am that we are getting our very own Vineyard Vines store! The Grand Opening is this week, Wednesday June 29th. Deets below but the net/net is this: Catered by Dean & Deluca, swag from VV and proceeds go to the Junior League. Oh, and Celeb Founders, Shep & Ian will be there for this shin-dig. Be there or be square! Make sure you rsvp. Now all we need is a Lilly store…

So school has been out for two weeks and in that time I have packed for the beach, dropped 2 of the 3 off at camp, picked one up from camp, hosted my parents and 3 of my nieces and nephews at the beach. May sound exhausting but I am happy to say I have loved every minute and actually feel like I have had a vacation. I will say that it has not all been peaches and cream but rather some work on my part. I am going to share my tips for preparing for camp and how I actually enjoyed my vacation.

Besides a Margarita and this Watermelon Pedicure? www.scoopcharlotte.com is this town’s number one shopping blog, and they’ve rounded up the best looks for a poolside bash from our local boutiques. Just try not to get thrown in, at least with your shoes on!

The older I get, the more I realize that it’s often the little things in life that make it so wonderful. The days weave in and out and we wait for the big events that sometimes never come. All the while these sweet little moments present themselves, and we just better not miss them because they are in fact what give us great joy. Sometimes for us stressed out, overworked (often underappreciated) moms these moments can come in the form of some retail therapy when we “invest” in ourselves. I still remember the burst of joy I got one Summer afternoon when I was nearly 9 months pregnant.

Join Bella Tunno, infant & toddler “necessories”, and Belly Elan Maternity as they team…

It officially feels like summer once swim team practices kick in. With swim team…